clark



Patented July 5, I898. l. H. CLARK.

DITCHING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 26, 1897.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

(No Model.)

Zia/576669565.- Wm

Patented July 5. 1898.

J. H. CLARK.

DITGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 26, 1897.)

' UNITE STATES ATENT rrrcn.

JOSEPH II. CLARK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK C.

' AUSTIN, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,987, dated July 5,1898.

Application filed May 26, 1897.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH H. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago,'in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement-in Ditching-Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines more particularly adapted for diggingor excavating long and comparatively narrow ditches or trenches.

Prominent objects of my invention are to prevent the caving in of theside walls of the ditch, to arrange for the easy and ready adjustment ofthe machine for excavating ditches of various depths, to provide simple,convenient, and practical devices for excavating the ditch, and toarrange for the easy and effective operation of the machine.

In a machine characterized by myinvention the ditch is excavated or'cutby a couple of vertically arranged and laterally and upwardly divergiblecutting memberssuch ,fo r instance, as screw-cuttersthat is to say, by acouple of cutting members which are supported by the machine in ageneral vertical direction, so that a forward progression of the machinealong the surface of the earth causes them to excavate a ditch having adepth substantially equal to their extent of dependence below thesurface of the ground and which are capable of adjustment so as todiverge from one another laterally as to the machine and toward theirupper ends. By such arrangement when the cutting members are ad- 3'usted so as to be upwardly divergent the side walls of the ditch ortrench slope or incline inwardly toward its bottom, and consequently donot fall or cave in. The soil cut or loosened in forming the ditch isconveniently re-. moved by a suitable elevating conveyer or, carrier andmay be deposited thereby in a portion of the ditch in which tiling hasalready been laid.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view illustrating insideelevation and in operation a ditching-machine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detailview of the lower end of the elevating-conveyer carrier. Fig. 4 isSerial No. 638,313. (No model.)

a detail view of the connection for propelling the machine, and Fig. 5is a section taken on line m x in Fig. 2.

The ditchingmachine illustrated in the drawings is intended to travelover the ground as the ditch is excavated upon suitable wheels A, whichareattached to the forward and rear ends of the body-frame B. As themachine advances the ditch or trench is cut by means of a couple oflaterally and upwardly divergi- 'ble rotary screw-cutters O O, which arearranged to extend downward when the machine is in operation, preferablyat an inclination toward the rear.

While the rotary screw-cutters 0 could be of any suitable construction,I have shown each of them constructed with a spiral cutting-blade 1 andprovided with cutting-knives 2, which are attached at intervals to thespiral blade 1. The knives 2 extend forward from the outer edge of theblade 1 in a direction longitudinally of the cutter and are de sirablyprovided with holders 3, which are adapted to prevent the bending,breaking, or detachment of the knives 2 from the blade 1. The saidholders3 are conveniently attached to the forward ends of the knives 2and are connected to the cutter by means of suitable rings or collars 4,formed at the inner ends of said holders 3 and fitted upon the rod orshaft 5, upon which the spiral blade 1 is arranged.

The rotary screw-cutters 0 could be secured to the machine in a fixedupwardly-divergent manner; but as a matter of further improvement theyare supported so as to be adjustable in an upward divergent manner, bywhich arrangement the sides of the ditch can be inclined inwardly to anyextent as required by different varieties of soil or as desired'forother reasons. As a convenient arrangenn ent the upper ends of saidcutters O are confined in bearings 5, provided at the lower ends of acouple of laterally-adjustable slides D. The slides D are supported byand arranged for bodily sliding movement upon a couple of guide rods orshafts 6, which are arranged laterally of the machine and attached attheir ends to the sides of the bodyframe B. By such arrangement eitheror both of the side walls of the ditch will be sloped or inclinedinwardly when the slides 'D are positioned so as to cause either or bothof the cutters O to incline outwardly and upwardly, and also such inwardslope of the side walls of the ditch can be varied in accordance withthe requirements of different varieties of soil by laterally shifting oradjusting the slides D. As a simple arrangement for thus adjusting saidslides D they are connected with adjusting-levers E by means of links 7,which said levers E are pivotally connected to the sides of thebody-frame B and arranged to shift the slides D laterally with relationto the machine when the levers are swung back and forth about theirpivotal connections, and as an arrangement for holding the levers E inadjustment the body-frame of the machine is provided with toothedsegments 8, with which the lower ends of suitable latches on the leversE can engage.

The screw-cutters 0 could be driven or rotated by any suitable powertransmitting connection; but as a preferred arrangement for driving thesame and for permitting the simultaneous lateral adjustment of theirupper ends said upper ends of the cutters are provided with bevelgear-wheels 10, which mesh with similar bevel-wheels 11, mounted upon arotary shaft 12, which latter is arranged transversely with relation tothe machine and is supported at its ends in suitable bearings on thesides of the body-frame B.

The bevel-wheels 11 have sliding connections with the shaft 12such, forinstance, as by a spline or feather-and are respectively confined withindownwardly-extending portions 13, with which each of the slides D isprovided, so that in adjusting one or the other of the screw-cutters Cby shifting the slide D, to which such screw-cutter is attached, thebevel-gear 11 for operating the same is also shifted correspondingly andkept in mesh with its companion bevel-gear 10.

The rotary shaft 12 is conveniently driven by means of a belt 14L fromthe driving-shaft 15 of a suitable engine F, which latter is providedwith a boiler G and mounted upon the body-frame B.

In order to permit the side adjustment of the upper ends of the rotaryscrew-cutters C C and also to admit of their lower ends being adjustedfor excavating ditches of different depths and also being raised abovethe level of the ground when the machine is not operating, said cuttersare provided near their upper ends with universal joints 17, Fig. 1.

The soil which is cut or loosened by the rotary screw-cutters O 0 movesdownwardly to the bottom of the ditch and is there taken, elevated, andcarried to the rear by an adjustable elevating conveyer or carrier H.

The conveyer or carrier H has its forward end connected with the rearends of the screw-cutters C C and extends rearwardly and upwardlytherefrom. Its length can, if desired, be such that when its forward endis thus connected with the screw-cutters its rear end will be somewhatabove a portion of the ditch where tiling has already been laid,so thatthe earth which it discharges will serve to fill in the ditch. Saidcarrier or conveyer H comprises a couple of longitudinally arrangedbeams or sides 18 and an endless belt 19, arranged upon pulley-shafts21, which are supported at the ends of the beams 18. The endless belt 19is of sufficient width to extend across the lower ends of bothscrew-cutters G and is provided with transversely-arranged cleats orribs 22, which are attached thereto at intervals and which serve toprevent a backward or downward slipping of the soil.

As an arrangement for attaching the forward end of the carrier H to therear ends of the screw-cutters C O the forward end of the carrier isprovided with a shoe J, having a couple of concave sockets 23 formedtherein, and the rear ends of the screw-cutters O C are constructed withball portions 24, adapted to fit into said sockets 23 and form aballand-socket joint. By such arrangement when it is desired to lift thecarrrier H and the screw-cutters G C from the ditch all three can belifted together without necessitating a detachment of any one of them.

The shoe J is desirably constructed with an upwardly-inclined concaveforward face 25, which is adapted to serve as a hopper for the soilfalling from the screw-cutters and which is so arrangedthat when suchsoil has accumulated thereupon to an extent to force a portion of itover its rearend such portion of the soil will fall upon the endlessbelt 19.

As an arrangement for allowing the elevation of the forward end of thecarrier H, together with the rear ends of the screw-cutters O C, saidcarrier is suspended between its ends from the lower ends by .a coupleof swinging beams 27, which substantially form a swinging frame K andwhich are arranged for having a swinging motion longitudinally of themachine.

The upper ends of the swinging beams are conveniently pivotallyconnected to the upper ends of a couple of stationary standards oruprights 28, which latter are in turn supported upon the body-frame B.Bysuch arrangement when the rear ends of the screwcutters O and theforward end of the carrier H connected thereto are elevated the saidcarrier H is free to swing to the rear, as required, by reason of itsconnection with the cutters O C, it being observed that as the rear endsof such cutters rise the horizontal distance between the same and theforward end of the machine increases and that the carrier H musttherefore move to the rear. As a simple arrangement for thus elevatingthe connected ends of the carrier H and the screw-cutters O O a coupleof ropes or cables 29 are respectively attached to the opposite sides ofthe forward-end of the carrier H and are coiled about a couple of rotarydrums 30, whereby the rotation of the drums 30 will elevate or lowersaid connected ends of the carrier H and screw-cutters O 0, according totheir direction of rotation.

As a desirable arrangement for steadying the lower end of the swingingframe K and for allowing the movement of said end as required by theadjustment of the carrier II a couple of ropes or cables 31 arerespectively attached to the lower ends of the swinging beams 27 andwound about a couple of rotary drums 32, by which arrangement the lowerend of the frame K can be moved toward the front of the machine orallowed to move toward the rear of the same byarotation of the drums 32in one or the other direction.

The rotary drums 30 and 32 are all conveniently mounted upon a rotaryshaft 33, arranged transversely upon the machine and having a suitablecrank-handle 34, whereby both sets of drums can be adjusted at once, itbeing observed, however, that owing to the fact that during suchadjustment the points of attachment of the ropes or cables 29 to thelower end of the carrier H travel a greater distance than the distancetraveled by the points of attachment of the cables 31 to said carrier IIand move in a direction with reference to their rotary drums opposite tothe direction in which said latter points of attachment move the rotarydrums 30 are relatively larger than the drums 32 and the ropes or cables29 are coiled about the drums 30 in a direction opposite to thedirection in which the ropes or cables 31 are wound about the drums 32.

As an arrangement for operating the traveling belt 19 of the carrier Hthe upper pulley-shaft 21 of said carrier is driven by a belt 35 from arotary shaft 36, which latter extends through the sides 18 of thecarrier H and also through the ends of the swinging beams 27 and thusserves as a connection between said carrier and the lower ends of theswinging frame K. The rotary shaft 36 is driven by a belt 37 from arotary shaft 38, which latter is mounted at the upper ends of thestandards or uprights 28 and extended through the upper ends of theswinging beams 27 and thereby serves as a pivotalconnection between saidstandards or uprights 28 and the upper ends of the swinging frame K,formed by said beams 27. The rotary shaft 38 is in turn driven bya belt39 from the main driving-shaft'15 of the engine F. By such arrangementthe endless traveling belt 19 can be driven at all times irrespective ofthe position in adj ustment of its forward end.

As an arrangement for propelling the machine as the ditch is excavatedthe rear axle is shown connected by a sprocket-chain 40 with asprocket-wheel 41, which latter is mounted loosely on the rotary shaft38, Fig. 4, and is provided with a clutch comprising a friction-cone 42.The friction-cone 42 of the sprocket-wheel 41 is engaged by acorresponding concave or cup-shaped friction-cone 43, which is keyed orfeathered to the rotary shaft 38 and which has a sliding connectiontherewith, so as to permit of its being thrown into clutch with the cone42. By such arrangement when said two friction-cones 42 and 43 are inposition against one another or in clutch the latter tends to rotate theformer and thereby turn the rear axle of the machine. The hollow cone 43is engaged by an adjusting-lever L for moving it into and out of clutchor contact with the cone 42, which said lever L is pivotally connectedto a bracket 44, attached to one of the uprights 2S and provided with atoothed segment 45, whereby the lever, which has a latch for engagingsaid rock or toothed segment,can be locked when moved into contact orclutch with more or less force against the cone 42.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a trough or chute M arranged below the rear endof the carrier H for the purpose of conveying the soil to one side ofthe ditch should it not be desired to deposit the same in the latter.

That I claim is- 1. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a coupleof vertically disposed cutting members mounted for laterally andupwardly divergent adjustment, and means for adjusting the same so as tovary the extent of such upward divergence; said cutting members beingarranged to occupy and retain positions respectively at opposite sidesof the ditch, substantially as described.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple ofvertically-disposed spiral screwcutters provided withlongitudinally-extending cutting-knives, and mounted for laterally andupwardly divergent adjustment; and means for adjusting the same so as tovary the extent of such upward divergence; said spiral screw-cuttershaving separate axes of rotation, substantially as described.

3. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of cutting membersconnected with the body-frame so as to permit of their being loweredinto a vertically-disposed position within the ditch, and mounted forlaterally and upwardly divergent adjustment; means for lowering andraising the same into and out of the ditch; and means for adjusting thesame so as to vary the extent of lateral divergence independently of theposition thereof in vertical adjustment, as set forth.

4. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of upwardly andlaterally divergible rotary screw-cutters having separate axes ofrotation and a rearwardly-extending traveling elevator arranged toreceive the soil cut by the screw-cutters and to deposit the same in theditch to the rear of the latter, as set forth. I

5. In a ditching-machine, the combination of one or more cutting membersconnected with the body-frame so as to permit of their being loweredinto a vertically-disposed position in the ditch; a traveling elevatoradapted and positioned to receive the soil cut by said cutting member ormembers, and supported so as to permit of its being lowered into, andraised from the ditch; and means for simultaneously raising and loweringboth the cutting member or members and the traveling elevator, as setforth.

6. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple ofvertically-arranged cutting members having their lower ends connectedwith one another and adapted to retain positions respectively atopposite sides of the ditch; and a couple of laterally-adjustable slidesconnected respectively with the upper ends of said cutting members, asset forth.

7. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of rotaryscrew-cutters having their lower ends connected with one another; and acouple of laterally-adjustable slides having bearing portions adapted toreceive the upper ends of said screw-cutters, as set forth.

8. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of rotaryscrew-cutters having their lower ends connected with one another andhaving their upper ends provided with gear-wheels; a couple oflaterally-adjustable slides having bearing portions adapted to receivethe upper ends of said screw-cutters; and a rotary shaft provided withlongitudinally-adjustable gear-wheels adapted to engage the gear-wheelsof the screw-cutters, and engaged in turn, by suitable engaging portionswith which said slides are provided, substantially as described.

9. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of cutting membersarranged to retain positions respectively at opposite sides of theditch, and having their lower ends connected with one another; a coupleof laterally-adjustable holders for the upper ends of said cuttingmembers; and means for adj usting said holders, as set forth.

10. In a ditching-machine, a rotary screwcutter comprising a rotaryspindle provided with a spiral cutting-blade; a series oflongitudinally-extending cutting-knives having" their rear ends attachedat intervals to the outer edge of the spiral cutting-blade; and a seriesof radially extending knife holders having theirinner ends attached tothe rotary spindle and their outer ends attached to the forward ends ofthe cutting-knives, as set forth.

11. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a cutting member havingits forward end jointedly connected with the machine, and having avertically-adjustable rear end; an adjustable elevating'carrier havingits forward end connected to the rear end of the cutting member, andhaving a swinging connection with the machine; a couple of flexibleconnectors attached respectively to the connected ends of the cuttingand elevating members and to the swinging connection of the latter; anda couple of rotary winding-drums having sizes differing in proportion tothe difierence in the distance traveled by the points of attachment ofsaid connectors during adjustment of the elevating member, and also,having said connectors wound upon them in opposite directions,substantially as described.

12. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a couple of rotary cuttershaving their upper end portions provided with universal joints; a coupleof holders adapted to receive the upper ends of said rotary cutters, andarranged for lateral adjustment so as to permit of a laterally andupwardly divergent adjustment on the part of the cutters; means for thuslaterally adjusting the cutter-holders means for rotating the cuttersindependently of the position in adjustment of their upper ends; a shoeproviding a hopper for the soil excavated by the cutters, and alsoproviding bearings for the lower ends of said cutters; and means forelevating and lowering the lower ends of the cutters and the shoeattached thereto, as set forth.

13. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a cutting member havingits forward end attached to the machine-frame, and its rear end arrangedfor depression into and elevation out of the ditch; a traveling elevatorhaving its forward end attached to the rear end of the cutting member;means for simultaneously raising and lowering the rear end of thecutting member and the forward end of the traveling elevator; and meansfor supporting the traveling elevator so as to permit of its forward endbeing raised and lowered, and also so as to permit of its swingingbodily backward and forward as required by the elevation and depressionof its forward end, as set forth.

14:. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a cutting member havingits forward end attached to the machine-frame, and its rear end arrangedfor depression into, and elevation out of, the ditch; a travelingelevator having its forward end attached to the rear end of the cuttingmember; a swinging frame having its upper end pivotally connected to themachine-frame, and its lower end pivotally connected to the travelingelevator at a point near the longitudinal middle thereof; and means forsimultaneously raising and loweringthe rear end of the cutting member,and the forward end of the traveling elevator, as set forth.

15. In a ditching-machine, the combination of a rotary cutter having aforward end portion connected to its rear end portion bya universaljoint; means for laterally and bodily shifting the forward end portion;and means for swinging its rear end portion about such joint so as toraise and lower the said rear end portion, as set forth.

JOSEPH I-I. CLARK.

\Vitnesses: v

A. F. DURAND, R. M. WAGNER.

